Indian variant

I'm not in any way saying covid isn't horrible, isn't life threatening or doesn't have a lasting impact on those with long covid. My husband and daughter have had it and a paramedic friend was very ill with it so I know it's very real.
Please don't think I'm playing down the seriousness of the illness, I'm merely saying that the figures - according to the ONS - show that it has levelled off now.
Chris Witty also showed that with his graphs last Monday.
Even with the new variant, it doesn't seem to be having a worse impact than the variants that have been here much longer.

Casdon

www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-57094274
According to the BBC news the majority of people testing positive for the Indian variant are younger, unvaccinated people, and there’s no evidence to suggest that the variant doesn’t respond to the vaccination.
We will see what Boris says tonight, but it’s unlikely to vary much from that.

So why not wait until they have all been vaccinated before unlocking?

Am I honestly the only one who thinks that after all their sacrifices for the older generations expecting them to take more risks is beyond inconsiderate? Maybe they won't all die, (although some will, statistically, if the surge continues), but others will suffer from Long Covid, which may affect the rest of their lives.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-56345591

news.sky.com/story/covid-19-four-people-in-the-uk-have-died-with-new-indian-variant-while-risk-levels-remain-low-data-shows-12306192

Those (mainly younger) who don't want the jab are at a much lower risk of serious infection anyway, the risk to young healthy children is virtually non-existent and all the vulnerable and older generations have been offered it already.

Sorry, donnab31, but you're forgetting the possibility of Long Covid, which affects young people and can be devastatingly life altering.

There is also the possibility of vaccine resistant mutations. Yes, the current vaccines have been amazingly good in preventing serious infection and death, but I'm not sure that a responsible government should rely on this and just let the virus run wild...

The voice of reason Casdon. Thanks for the link.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-57094274
According to the BBC news the majority of people testing positive for the Indian variant are younger, unvaccinated people, and there’s no evidence to suggest that the variant doesn’t respond to the vaccination.
We will see what Boris says tonight, but it’s unlikely to vary much from that.

I repeat, though - what about the young people who have not been vaccinated?

If you've watched the devastation the virus has caused in India and it's this one which will wreak havoc here, as no ordinary virus, then will it get past the vaccinations in this country ? We don't know and it seems neither does anyone else either.

It'll be interesting to find out if those who've recently died of the Indian virus, had the vaccination.

MayBee70

Well, you’ve managed to get your anti mask propaganda an airing without providing any scientific evidence to prove that masks don’t work so you’ve achieved your goal.

I'm not anti-mask as such actually, and I've been very responsible for the last 14 months but I am pro-choice.
And I don't think all this fear-mongering is helping anyones mental health.
None of us have any scientific evidence of anything, apart from the scientists themselves.
If they can show this variant is more dangerous and the numbers start to rise again, then I will start to worry.

I have just been listening to Indy Sage Group (live on YouTube every Friday 1.30pm). This is a much more reliable source of information about Covid, and variants, from a group of doctors, epidemiologists, virologists, and public health specialists, amongst others, rather than media sources. I recommend it.

rosie1959

No more lockdown we have to learn to live with this virus

The trouble is that we can't learn to live with it, can we?

If by that you mean that we will have to learn to accept that our loved ones will continue to die from it, then I think it's too high a price.

What is wrong with closing the borders, hunkering down until everyone is vaccinated and seeing how the land lies then?

No more lockdown we have to learn to live with this virus

Be prepared, is all I can say. Lockdown or else ?

donnab31 I agree that there are very troubling aspects about the whole situation. I am particularly unhappy about the way (some) people behaved in the first lockdown, when they were reporting their neighbours for buying 'unnecessary' shopping, and arguing over who should be entitled to get groceries delivered. The laws that have been brought in under the cover of the virus are worrying, as are the ways in which parliamentary process has been disrupted.

These things need to be monitored very carefully, and rescinded as soon as we know (from the evidence) that it is safe to do so.

All the same, I do feel that human lives are more important than the economy (and yes, I understand the links between lockdown, poverty and mental health, and recognise that people with non-Covid illness are being overlooked), and that the priority needs to be to keep people safe.

If that means extending the current pseudo-lockdown for a bit longer, then I think it would be worth it.

Well, you’ve managed to get your anti mask propaganda an airing without providing any scientific evidence to prove that masks don’t work so you’ve achieved your goal.

We are going to have lots of new variants going forward but if we all think the country should shut down every time there's a new one, what hope is there of a happy future?
It wasn't my intention to offend so I'll sign off now.

MayBee70

donnab31

Sorry if I come across as angry, it just scares me, the thought of living under all these restrictions for goodness knows how long.
Having a British government tell us when we can hug our children or have our families in our own homes would have been laughable 2 years ago.
Now we're all walking around with muzzles on, scared of anyone we might walk past, just in case they might be carrying the virus with no symptoms (there's still no proof of this) and so many of us aren't even questioning it.
It terrifies me that people are happy to accept this as the new normal.
The deaths and hospitalisations are level now, even though the Indian variant has been here for weeks.

Can you please show me the scientific evidence that shows that people are not asymptomatic carriers please? And can I point out that hospitalisation and deaths follow several weeks after infection rates rise. By the way, I’m quite happy to wear a ‘muzzle’ to protect you and others if I happen to be a carrier, symptomatic or asymptomatic.

I didn't say there was evidence to say people aren't asymptomatic, I said there was no evidence to say we are.

I'm as entitled to dislike wearing a mask as much as you are to think it's fine.
I'm also entitled to question whether they actually work, when they were introduced long before we had the winter spike but didn't prevent it.
The experts spent the first few months telling us they had very little impact, then when they were originally made compulsory, Sky News reported it was to give people confidence to spend money in shops.
I think it's very sad that we can't even see someone smile at us now and I do believe that until we start questioning how long these rules continue for, we're very quickly drifting into a world we won't like.
Again, just my opinion.

Can you please show me the scientific evidence that shows that people are not asymptomatic carriers please? And can I point out that hospitalisation and deaths follow several weeks after infection rates rise. By the way, I’m quite happy to wear a ‘muzzle’ to protect you and others if I happen to be a carrier, symptomatic or asymptomatic.

Yes, I think muzzles may become the norm when in large gatherings of people as they have been in the Far East for a long time.

I can still speak up so not exactly muzzled.

GrannyGravy13

Bugger!!!!!!

Couldn't have said it better.

eazybee

I am just furious with all the selfish people who saw fit to travel to, and return from, India and Pakistan, knowing the risks. As an earlier poster said, and was castigated for it, what happened to personal responsibility?

The earlier poster wasn't castigated for bringing up personal responsibility, but for appearing to imply that the ethnic origin of the woman she had seen commuting on travellers was somehow ironic.

I am just furious with all the selfish people who saw fit to travel to, and return from, India and Pakistan, knowing the risks. As an earlier poster said, and was castigated for it, what happened to personal responsibility?

Sorry 3nanny6, you were a bit quicker off the mark than me! x

donnab31

Sorry if I come across as angry, it just scares me, the thought of living under all these restrictions for goodness knows how long.
Having a British government tell us when we can hug our children or have our families in our own homes would have been laughable 2 years ago.
Now we're all walking around with muzzles on, scared of anyone we might walk past, just in case they might be carrying the virus with no symptoms (there's still no proof of this) and so many of us aren't even questioning it.
It terrifies me that people are happy to accept this as the new normal.
The deaths and hospitalisations are level now, even though the Indian variant has been here for weeks.

Can you please show me the scientific evidence that shows that people are not asymptomatic carriers please? And can I point out that hospitalisation and deaths follow several weeks after infection rates rise. By the way, I’m quite happy to wear a ‘muzzle’ to protect you and others if I happen to be a carrier, symptomatic or asymptomatic.

Bugger!!!!!!

I think if even Boris Johnson is concerned about this, it doesn't look hopeful for getting back to normal as soon as we all hoped.